CVE-2026-7374

Kubevirt: kubevirt virt-handler: privilege escalation and node compromise via symlink following vulnerability

Published May 26, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 9.9 Critical EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
A flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler component. This vulnerability allows an authenticated OpenShift user with edit permissions in a single namespace to exploit improper symlink validation when connecting to virtual machine console sockets. By replacing the console socket with a symlink to the host's container runtime (CRI-O) socket, an attacker can hijack virt-handler's privileged connection. This enables the attacker to access any Unix socket on the host, potentially leading to full control of the node and the entire cluster.

Remediation

Vendor Workaround

Update cluster RBAC to not allow exec into virt-launcher pods.

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-7jcp-v9w4-wjmg KubeVirt has a Link Following vulnerability
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.19::el9
References
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat openshift Virtualization
Vendors & Products Redhat openshift Virtualization
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.21::el9
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4 cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.12::el8
cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.13::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.14::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.15::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.16::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.17::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.18::el9
cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4.20::el9
References
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description A flaw was found in KubeVirt's virt-handler component. This vulnerability allows an authenticated OpenShift user with edit permissions in a single namespace to exploit improper symlink validation when connecting to virtual machine console sockets. By replacing the console socket with a symlink to the host's container runtime (CRI-O) socket, an attacker can hijack virt-handler's privileged connection. This enables the attacker to access any Unix socket on the host, potentially leading to full control of the node and the entire cluster.
Title Kubevirt: kubevirt virt-handler: privilege escalation and node compromise via symlink following vulnerability
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat container Native Virtualization
Weaknesses CWE-59
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:container_native_virtualization:4
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat container Native Virtualization
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.9, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
redhat
Published
Updated
Sep 10, 2026, 12:05 PM
Reserved
Apr 29, 2026, 6:46 AM
Status
Awaiting Analysis
Published
May 26, 2026, 2:16 PM
Modified
Sep 10, 2026, 1:20 PM
Severity
Important
Public date
May 26, 2026, 12:30 PM